


I Candy

by fangs_for_the_memories



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: CandyLand - Freeform, F/F, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 11:57:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13146216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangs_for_the_memories/pseuds/fangs_for_the_memories
Summary: Laura and Carmilla spend their first holiday vacation post- re-vamping investigating a case of missing Silas students, which leads to a sweet adventure.





	I Candy

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, creampuffs!! Time was flying by and I realized I didn't have anything ready for the holidays so I came up with some bizarre idea which wound up with me feeling like I had bit off way more than I could chew. But I digress! Happy Holidays and hope you enjoy <3

“You really don’t have to come with me to this, Carm,” Laura insists as she checks her phone to make sure she’s walking the right way. “I promise I’ll be back in our adorable, quaint rented room by Christmas Eve.”

 

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Cutie, the last time you went looking for missing college students in Styria, you wound up fighting a god and dying.”

Laura stops and frowns. “I also met you and fell in love with you, so I’d say I came out a winner.”

“Oh, no, no,” Carmilla says with a smirk. “You’re not charming your way out of this one. I’m coming with you, whether you want me to or not, Hollis. Even if this trip is to avoid coping with our first holiday after I’ve been re-vamped. I didn’t lug cases of Hemo Soy internationally just to sit around a hotel room.”

“We’re not avoiding anything. And LaF said you could have it delivered,” Laura points out, starting her journey again.

Carmilla sighs. “But then what would I complain about?”

“I’m sure you’d find something,” Laura grumbles before stopping and giving Carmilla a peck on the cheek with a giggle. She checks her phone again and points down a path through a forest. “It says through here.”

 

Carmilla squints through the trees. “Why do kidnappers never take victims to some nice bright land of milk and honey?”

Laura laughs and starts following the directions. “You know what’s weird?”

“Something weird? In _Styria_?” Carmilla asks sarcastically. “Will wonders never cease?”

Laura rolls her eyes and continues. “This path we’ve been taking looks familiar. I swear I’ve seen it somewhere before.” She’s too busy focusing down on her phone that she trips over a tree branch and loses her footing, falling and rolling clumsily down a hill before hitting into a tree with a grunt.

 

“Laura!” Carmilla rushes down after her as she slowly picks her head up with a groan. Carmilla kneels by her side. “You’re bleeding.”

“Also dizzy,” Laura moans.

Carmilla frowns, gently running her finger near the cut. “You might have a concussion. We gotta get you some medical help.”

“I _have_ to be dizzy, right?” Laura continues. “Coz I’m definitely imagining that gaping glowing hole over there?”

Carmilla slowly turns to where Laura’s pointing and she chuckles. “I think you’ve just got a nasty cut, babe. Coz I’m seeing that hole, too.”

 

A rock a few feet away has a large radiant entrance, but it’s impossible to see what’s through it. Carmilla helps Laura up and watches as she brushes some leaves and twigs off herself and heads towards it.  

 

 

“Really? We’re gonna go _to_ the mysterious doorway?” Carmilla sighs, following her.

Laura tentatively sticks her hand through it and then withdraws it, observing that her hand is untouched. “At least it already seems safer than some of the places that door in the library took us to?”

“Yeah, that’s a real vote of confidence,” Carmilla comments dryly.

Laura eyes the rock warily. “Okay, let’s take a moment. Think this through?”

Carmilla nods eagerly.

 

Laura backs away and sits down on a fallen tree trunk, making room for Carmilla. “The group of students that we’re looking for grew up together. All the same age. All seniors at university. Sally Roy, Rani John, Ryan Li, and Jim Leonard. They went hiking out here to destress the day before a huge final exam, with posts across their social media confirming it. And in the past few weeks since, there hasn’t been a trace of them anywhere.”

Carmilla nods again.

“So if there are no bodies, they probably went missing,” Laura continues.

“And you want to follow these missing kids through a mysterious door in a rock.”

Laura looks sheepishly at Carmilla.

“Yeah, I accepted the moment we sat down there wasn’t gonna be any talking you out of this one,” Carmilla sighs before giving Laura an affectionate pat on the leg. “Let’s go, I guess.”

Laura laughs and wraps her arms around Carmilla for a hug. “Thank you.”

 

Holding hands, they step through the doorway and squint at the blinding light.

And gape at the sight before them.

 

Several colorful paths weave around and through each other as far as the eye can see. But this isn’t the most bizarre sight.

A river of soda flows past them. There are giant trees shaped like lollipops. Chocolate sculptures of all shapes and sizes cover the landscape. A castle made of ice cream cones looms in the distance.

“Goodness gracious, great balls of candy,” Laura breathes out. She excitedly bounces in place. “I knew I recognized the path we were taking!”

Carmilla stares at her, confused.

“It’s the Candyland board! It’s the same weaving track in the original game that leads to the castle!””

Carmilla pinches the bridge of her nose. “You have _got_ to be kidding me.”

Laura laughs and nudges Carmilla. “You did say, ‘Why do kidnappers never take victims to some nice bright land of milk and honey?’”

 

 

Carmilla looks up to the heavens. “That was a joke! Not a _suggestion_!”

Laura giggles, starting to walk down the path they’re on. “Come on, Ms. Melodrama. Time to figure out what bizarre Katy Perry music video rip-off we’re in.”

 

“Are you cold?” Carmilla asks, looking around them and frowning.

Laura shakes her head. “No. Why?”

Carmilla gestures at the ground. “There’s snow crunching under our feet.”

Laura kneels down and scoops some up before licking it. “It’s powdered sugar.”

“Ah.” Carmilla looks disappointed. “I was about to be all chivalrous and offer you my coat.”

“Mmm, I thought the chivalrous, wooing phase was over,” Laura teases.

Carmilla takes her hand and intertwines their fingers. “With you? Never.”

 

They walk for a bit before they reach the top of a hill.

“Oh, _God_ ,” Carmilla groans, looking at the foot of the hill. A giant chubby blue monster with gumdrops on its back is loafing around. Before she can react, Laura is already heading down. “Yeah, let’s go _towards_ the giant blob,” she grumbles.

He turns to face her. “I heard that.”

“I apologize for her,” Laura says as she approaches him. She sticks out her hand. “I’m Laura.”

He regards her carefully before a large, contagious smile fills his face. “I’m Jolly! Pleasure to meet you.”

“Of course he is,” Carmilla comments as she approaches them.

“That’s Carmilla,” Laura says, rolling her eyes.

Jolly’s smile falters a bit. “Uhm. Pleasure.”

Carmilla grunts at him and Laura elbows her. “Hi.” Carmilla crosses her arms. “We’re not from… around here. Can you tell us where ‘here’ is?”

He nods enthusiastically.

And doesn’t say anything else.

 

“Tell us where we are, you gelatinous dumb mass!” Carmilla yells, exasperated.

Laura flinches and Jolly visibly deflates. “Okay, I think someone’s getting hangry. Why don’t you just go back out the way we came?” Laura suggests, slowly going behind Carmilla to gently direct her back up the hill.  Carmilla pulls away, irritated.

“Hell no. You can’t just send me away because now I’m back to being this gloomy vampire darkening the clouds that usually shoot rainbows over your head. And you’re stupid if you think I’m leaving you alone,” Carmilla snarls. She looks over at Laura, who seems to be trying her best to remain calm and understanding. Carmilla swallows hard and clenches her fist, looking down in shame. “Sorry. I’ll just go and… sit down over there.”

 

 

Laura starts to argue but seems to think better of it. “Okay.” When Carmilla settles down on a rock and hangs her head, Laura takes a deep breath. She turns her attention back to Jolly, who’s eyeing her carefully.

 

“ _May_ you please tell us where we are?”

Jolly’s eyes light up. “Why, you’re in Candyland, of course! A sweet little land for sweet little folks!” Jolly replies.

Laura furrows her eyebrows in confusion. “As in, the board game?”

Jolly frowns at this.

“Oh, she’s talking about what the King speaks of,” a fuzzy green monster says, waddling towards them. “The game of boards! From which he has created us.” He waddles over, a basket of plums in hand. “I’m Plumpy.”

“She must be from the same realm as the King!” another voice chimes in.

Laura frowns, not seeing anyone else around them.

Plumpy points up. “That’s Mama Ginger Tree.” He leans in to whisper in Laura’s ear. “She makes the best gingersnaps in all of Candyland.”

“Ah,” Laura replies, amused. She tries to figure out what question to ask these helpful creatures next. “So, this King… His name is…”

“King Kandy,” Mama Ginger Tree answers.

Laura runs a hand through her hair. “Of course it is. Which means of course he lives in Candy Castle.”

Plumpy and Jolly nod at her. “He hasn’t been seen in a while, though. Probably off visiting Princess Lolly to discuss the border dispute with the Licorice lands,” Plumpy replies.

Laura bunches up her face in concentration before getting an idea. “Have you guys seen anyone else come through her who also came from King Kandy’s land?”

 

“I haven’t seen anyone,” Jolly says, with a murmur of agreement from Mama Ginger Tree and Plumpy. “But if anyone saw anything, it’d be Gloppy.”

“And where could I find Gloppy?” Laura asks.

“The Chocolate Swamp.” Plumpy points down a path. “Right now you’re in the Gingerbread Plum Trees. Cut through the Gumdrop Mountains on the blue trail, along the gumdrop path. Get off this path when you see a cottage made of peanut brittle with peanut plants growing outside. The lady living there can direct you to the chocolate swamp, where Gloppy lives.”

Carmilla walks over, arms crossed. “And that’s it? We just follow these instructions? What kind of boring ass board game is this?”

  

 

“Well, you do need to watch out for Lord Licorice. He’s quite the foul individual,” Mama Ginger Tree comments. “He wants to take over Candyland turn everything into licorice.”

“Oh, no, what ever will we do with a world made entirely of sweets?” Carmilla asks sarcastically, turning her attention to Laura. “This is such an exciting adventure we’re spending our holiday vacation on.”

Laura rolls her eyes. “I know you’re getting hungry but stop being so nasty to them. Apologize and thank them for helping us, Carm.”

 

Carmilla pauses, quickly reflecting on her behavior as Laura stares at her.  She huffs but seems properly shamed and looks at the others. “I’m sorry for being…”

“A meanie,” Laura supplies.

Carmilla gives an exasperated sigh. “I’m sorry for being less-than-nice and am grateful for you helping Laura,” she says reluctantly.

Jolly is the first to smile at Carmilla. “You’re forgiven and very welcome, Carmilla!”

The other two warmly agree.

“The best of luck to you two on your search,” Mama Ginger Tree declares. “Let us know if you need anything else from us.”

 

Laura thanks them and starts to walk away. She makes it a few feet before she stops. “Carm, are you sure you don’t want to go back? Like you said, there doesn’t seem to be any imminent danger here.”

Carmilla laughs softly and tugs Laura along. “I understand the concern, sweetheart, but I promised I’d tag along on your investigation this holiday trip, and I’m seeing that through. And I will turn the crankiness down.”

“Well, maybe not all the way,” Laura says with a giggle. “It’s part of your charm. Just don’t go around yelling at the sentient gumdrops.”

Carmilla smirks. “So you admit I have charm?”

“A little too much of it, Karnstein,” Laura laments playfully.

 

They start making their way through a gumdrop mountain, which doesn’t take long.

“I wonder what the scale of this place is to an actual Candyland board,” Laura muses as a peanut brittle cottage comes into view in the distance.

“Whatever it is, it should be smaller,” Carmilla grumbles, looking slightly drained.

Laura frowns in worry. “Carm…”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she insists immediately.

Laura pats her reassuringly. “Okay, we just gotta ask whoever lives here if they’ve seen a group of students.” She looks around at the peanut plants. “Wait, I remember who lives here. It’s Grandma… something. Grandma…”

 

 

“Nutt.”

Carmilla snorts and sputters at the same time, turning to the little old lady who’s approached them. “What?”

“Nutt!” the old lady shouts happily.

Carmilla has to cover her mouth and Laura gives her a look. “Her _name_ is Grandma Nutt, Carm.”

Carmilla clears her throat, trying to seriously make her next statement. “She should, uhm, get a button that says her name on it. So she can slam on it. Like, say, a nice blue button…”

“You think I should get a blue button that says ‘Nutt’ on it?” the lady asks innocently. “Why would I do such a silly thing?

“Don’t worry about it,” Laura grumbles. She offers her hand. “I’m Laura. And this is Carmilla.”

 

Grandma Nutt leans forward and wraps Laura in a hug. “Welcome to my corner of Candyland!” She does the same to Carmilla, who awkwardly pats her on the back. “Come in, come in,” she insists, leading them into her cottage.

There’s room for three at the table and both settle in, Carmilla slightly more warily than Laura.

“I can tell one of you is very hungry,” she says warmly, reaching into a cabinet and throwing some things into a pot. “As for you, Laura, feel free to have some cookies.”

 

Laura starts to reach for one and Carmilla glares at her. “Did you learn nothing from Mama Klaus?” she hisses.

Laura deflates but takes a cookie anyway. “You, uh, don’t by, any chance, have a dead fat husband or dead children, do you?”

Grandma Nutt turns to them with a frown. “You both ask the most bizarre questions,” she laughs nervously. “But no, I do not. My husband is in the Candycane forest and my children work at King Kandy’s palace.”

She finishes with whatever she’s whipping up for Carmilla and puts it in front of her.

“Now. How can I help you two?”

 

Carmilla looks down at her bowl of pastries and pushes it away from her.

“We were on our way to the Chocolate Swamp to talk to Gloppy. We’re looking for a group of people who came from King Kandy’s land. They look like us,” Laura explains, playing with the cookie in her hand.

“Ah, yes,” Grandma Nutt says after some thought. “They passed through here a while ago. Very sweet bunch.”

Laura perks up. “Did you see where they were going?”

 

 

“I know they were looking for King Kandy, but I didn’t speak to them much,” she admits. “They spoke more to my husband. You can ask him about it if you want?”

“Great!” Laura says, getting ready to get up.

Grandma Nutt pouts. “Are there no manners in this land you all come from? You didn’t even take a bite out of the cookies or cupcakes!” Her frown deepens. “Do you not like sweets?”

“I love sweets,” Laura responds immediately. “It’s just… the last time a lady we stumbled across for help gave us baked goods, they…”

Grandma Nutt raises an eyebrow inquisitively.

“They were people,” Carmilla replies. “This crazy woman turned her family and other victims into gingerbread people and fed them to us in hopes we would be her next victims.”

Grandma Nutt’s mouth drops open and she places a hand on her chest. “Oh. My.” She looks down at the uneaten cookie and cupcakes. “So you two are afraid the same thing happened here?”

Carmilla and Laura don’t reply, which is the only answer she needs. She reaches forward and takes a cookie off the plate, eating it.

“Would that crazy woman have done that?” Grandma Nutt asks, mouth full.

 

Laura shrugs. “Good enough for me.” Without waiting any longer, she eats the cookie she’s been fiddling with and moans. “Oh my god, this is delicious!” She nudges Carmilla. “Try some!”

Carmilla looks skeptical but hesitantly takes a decent-sized bite of her cupcake. Her eyes widen.

“Good, right?” Laura asks, reaching for another cookie.

“Uhm.” Carmilla chews slowly, carefully. “There’s…”

Grandma Nutt smirks. “Something special.”

Laura scowls. “Like, ‘something that’ll magically turn Carm into a cupcake-shaped victim’ special?”

“No,” Carmilla replies, turning the cupcake for Laura to see. “It’s…”

“Blood,” Laura realizes. She looks over to Grandma Nutt. “How did…”

 

She looks just as confused. “Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.”

Carmilla puts the cupcake down. “Explain.”

“When King Kandy came to our land, he told us that he needed more than just sugar to survive. Things called ‘meats and fruits and vegetables.’ So the Duke of Swirl put his people to work and they developed a magical substance that, when added to food, would give them the essential nutrients the King needs,” Grandma Nutt says. “I added it to the cupcakes before serving it to Carmilla since she seemed particularly starved and malnourished.”

“She needs blood, so it added blood to the cupcakes,” Laura surmises. She gestures at the bowl in front of Carmilla. “I’d say you should eat up, Carm.”

 

 

Carmilla looks unsure and Laura pointedly pulls the bowl closer.

“Look, if you eat these blood-filled cupcakes, you’ll be more helpful and less hungry or tired, and then we can get out of here sooner,” Laura points out, picking up the bitten cupcake. “Please?”

 

Carmilla huffs and takes it. She finishes the first one and Laura can make out the protruding fangs as Carmilla quickly moves onto the second cupcake. And the next. And the next. Soon enough, the entire bowl is empty.

Laura giggles as she wipes some crumbs from the edge of Carmilla’s mouth. “Feel better?”

“Yes,” Carmilla mumbles. “Sorry for getting all snippy.”

“Getting hangry is perfectly normal. Even for a human,” Laura comments. She looks at Grandma Nutt. “Have something you want to say to our gracious hostess?”

“Thank you,” Carmilla says sincerely.

 

Grandma Nutt smiles at them. “You’re welcome.” She points out the window. “If you follow this purple path, it will lead you to the Candycane Forest, where Mr. Mint, my husband is. You can ask him more questions there. And maybe hint at him that I’d like him to return soon.”

“Of course,” Laura laughs.

“And before you leave…” Grandma Nutt heads back to her cupboard and produces a small sack. “This is the powder I added to the cupcakes. Just in case either of you find this journey takes longer than expected. It’ll turn any object you sprinkle it on more edible and nutritious. I wish I could do more to help.”

Laura and Carmilla stand up, taking the sack. “Thank you so much for everything,” Laura says.

Grandma Nutt gestures to ask if another hug is okay, and Laura eagerly gives her one with a squeeze. Carmilla hesitantly gives Grandma Nutt one, as well, saying, “We’ll be sure to get your husband back to you as soon as possible.”

 

After that, they quickly make their way down the purple road and it leads straight to a forest made of candy canes. There’s some grunting and thwacking in the distance, and Laura squints to make out a man swinging an axe. Laura tugs Carmilla towards him.

“Timber!” he yells as a candy cane falls over. He places his axe down and wipes his brow. “Hi! How can I help you two?”

“Hello,” Laura greets brightly. “Uhm, we bumped into your wife and she said you could answer some questions about a group of people who came from the same land King Kandy came from. They should’ve passed through here not too long ago?”

He frowns pensively. “Well, it was pretty long ago. But yes, I do remember these kids. They said something about how the goal of the game is to find King Kandy and wanted to know the quickest way to do it.”

 

 

“And?” Laura presses gently.

He points down a green path. “This leads straight to Candy Castle. But it also goes past Licorice Castle, home of Lord Licorice. The safer route would be to take this green path until you reach Princess Frostine’s home on Ice Cream Sea, and then take the orange path to King Kandy.”

“Hmm.” Laura bunches up her face in thought. “We’re kinda pressed for time. I think we’ll take the risk.”

Mr. Mint sighs. “That’s what they said, too. Hope they’re alright. I haven’t heard anything about them one way or the other.”

 

“Well, if they’re not, we’ll help them,” Laura declares.

“Here’s what I’m not getting,” Carmilla says. “Why keep walking through here? Assuming they came in the same way we did, all they had to do was walk back out. Not… get lost in here for weeks.”

Laura shrugs. “I mean… I don’t know if your stints at university ever required actual final exams, but I can see the appeal of wanting to hide in a board game to get away from them. Not to mention one of them lost a little brother around Christmastime a decade ago. Staying here in a land of sweets where everyone is kind and helpful would be a welcome notion.”

Mr. Mint clears his throat to get their attention. “Did you say this group was missing for weeks?”

Laura nods.

“I’m not sure we’re talking about the same group, then,” he frets. “The group I saw was here months ago.”

 

“Wait, you’re telling me that there are _two_ other groups of people from our world wandering around in here?” Carmilla asks.

Laura’s eyes widen. “ _Or_ … Time travels differently here.”

Carmilla looks at her, not understanding.

“Like... what’s months to them, was weeks to us,” Laura explains. “I think it’s called ‘time dilation?’ LaF was talking about it once."

Carmilla mulls this over. “So… you’re saying…”

“That for us, they’ve been gone for two and a half weeks. But for everyone here, it’s been like, two and a half months. If every week is a month for them.”

Carmilla frowns at this conclusion but doesn’t seem to disagree with it.

 

Laura looks over at Mr. Mint. “Well, either way, thank you for your help.”

“You’re very welcome. Let me know if you need any more assistance,” he says warmly, reaching down for his axe. “I hope you find whoever you’re looking for.”

 

 

“Oh, and, uhm… Your wife wants you to come home,” Laura adds with a giggle.

Mr. Mint laughs at that. “Will do. Right after I get my quota so I can sell them and buy food. Gotta keep the missus fed and happy, right?”

Laura gives Carmilla a look of endearment. “Right.”

Carmilla gives a polite smile but doesn’t reply.

“Let’s get going,” Laura says. “Thank you again!”

 

Carmilla gives Mr. Mint a small wave goodbye before following Laura.

They walk in silence for a bit, but Laura seems content not speaking. Which is not necessarily a welcome a change of pace, because Carmilla _wants_ to talk. She’d hoped Laura would ramble to take her mind off things, but now something is eating away at her.

 

“Hey… Laura,” Carmilla starts shyly.

“Hmm?” Laura asks, admiring the Lollipop Woods in the distance, a forest of rainbow lollipops for trees. When Carmilla doesn’t continue, Laura turns her full attention to her. “Carm? Everything okay?”

Carmilla looks down at the ground and twists the powder sack in her hands. “I’m… sorry. For getting all snippy earlier.”

“You already apologized.  And, for the record, you are not some gloomy vampire darkening the clouds that usually shoot rainbows over my head,” Laura says lightly.  Carmilla doesn't respond and Laura frowns. “It’s totally fine, Carm. I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”

“It’s really not,” Carmilla huffs. “You’ve been so good through this whole re-vamping thing and… A lot of times I forget it’s not just something that happened to _me_. It happened to _us_. It’s not fair for me to keep attacking you as if it’s something you’re not dealing with, too. Coz you are. And not, say, leaving me and running for the hills or something. Yeah, I’ve got the hunger and crankiness that comes with all of it, but that doesn’t mean I should take it out on you.”

 

Laura laughs softly and takes Carmilla’s hands in hers. “Carm, remember you said whatever happens next, we’ll face it together? That didn’t just go for my career goals, it was for _everything_.” She gives Carmilla’s hands a squeeze. “I’m not gonna say being called ‘stupid’ was entirely what I had in mind, but I’m sure turning back into a vampire is difficult and… I’m not going anywhere. Not away from you and not towards any hills. You’re not darkening any part of my life. I’m here for you, and with you, through the good and the bad.”

Carmilla meets Laura’s eyes and offers a watery smile.

“Through the charm and the snippiness,” Laura continues, leaning forward and giving Carmilla a peck on the lips. “I know you can play nice with others when you need to.”

“Thank you.” Carmilla chuckles. “But I will still apologize and cut down on snapping at you when I’m hangry. I promise. You deserve better than that.”

Laura lets out an overdramatic gasp. “How the tables have turned.”

  

 

“Yeah, well, I figure you’re always making sure I feel validated, so I should return the favor.” Carmilla shrugs with a smirk. “Must be the holiday spirit.”

“Yeah, must be,” Laura chuckles, leaning in for a kiss. “You softie.”

 

“How... Saccharine. Which is really saying something, given where we are.”

Laura turns towards the voice with a frown.

“Who are you?” Carmilla growls.

Laura scoffs at his overly dramatic villainous appearance. “Lord Licorice.”

“Mmm, and I thought _I_ would have the upper hand in this encounter,” he comments with a cackle.

“How so?” Laura asks.

He leans on his cane with a devilish smirk. “I hear you’ve been asking around about my prisoners.”

“Prisoners?” Laura takes a step forward. “What do you mean by that?”

 

“A group of people who came from King Kandy’s world? They strolled past here. Or tried to, anyway.” He shrugs. “And then when King Kandy had apparently heard about Candyland’s mysterious visitors and he paid me a visit of his own? It was kismet.”

Laura swallows hard. “What do you want?”

“I want to rule Candyland,” he replies simply. “I lured King Kandy into my dungeon and am waiting for he and his guards to die, but he’s survived this long and I don’t know how.”

Carmilla lets out a snort. “What kind of villain can’t kill someone and just waits for them to die?”

His nostrils flare and he gets within an inch of Carmilla’s face before sneering and taking a step back. “Well. That’s where you come in.”

“What are you talking about?” Carmilla snarls.

 

“I need someone killed. And from what I can tell, you’re more monstrous than I am. I’ve been watching you two since you spoke to Jolly. She feeds on your people, doesn’t she?” There’s a glint in his eyes. “The way she speaks with such venomous animosity. The raw hunger in her eyes.”

Carmilla looks down at the ground in silence, but Laura shakes her head.

“She’s not a monster and she’s not killing anyone for you.”

“I had a feeling that would be your stance. In case she was a monster reformed, or something,” Lord Licorice sighs. He waves his cane at Laura in a circular motion.

Nothing happens.

“Bah,” he groans, tapping his cane on the floor a couple times before repeating the motion.

  

 

This time Laura’s engulfed in a white light and Carmilla instinctively reaches out for her, involuntarily squinting against the light until she’s forced to close her eyes. When she opens them again, Laura’s gone. And so is Lord Licorice.

_“If you want to see her again, you’ll come to my castle and do as asked,_ ” his voice echoes.

Carmilla stands alone in the path, fists clenched.

She knows she can’t just go around murdering people anymore, even if it’s for Laura. But she also can’t just let this deranged maniac hold Laura hostage and do god-knows-what to her.

_What now, Karnstein?_

 

* * *

 

“Whoa, she’s waking up,” someone says as Laura cracks her eyes open.

She focuses on the four faces in front of her. “Ryan Li?” she says to the tallyoung Asian man who just spoke.

He nods, eyes wide with confusion.

Laura takes in her surroundings. She’s in a large shadowy, dim-lit dungeon cell with a couple windows. A group of people are looking at her-- a couple and a young woman.

 

“So, you three must be Jim Leonard, Sally Roy, and Rani Jon?”

They all nod.

“I came here looking for you,” Laura explains, wincing as she sits up. “Have you guys really been here for months?”

The four of them share a look.

“Look. I get it. It’s fun here. Everything and everyone is candy, which... is questionable in regards to what is edible, but anyway. And you’ve got finals and crappy stuff out there. Except... Your parents are all looking for you in the real world.”

“But we haven’t been gone for that long out there,” Sally points out.

Laura frowns. “You guys know about the time dilation?”

Jim elbows her. “Good going.”

When no one offers any further reply, Laura crosses her arms. “How do you guys know about it?”

 

“Because of me,” a voice says from the shadows. A young man steps into the light and does a shy wave. “Hi.”

 

 

Laura frowns. “Who are you?”

“I’m Ravi Jon.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “Rani’s little brother who disappeared a decade ago?”

He nods. “Better known around here as…”

“King Kandy,” Laura realizes. “You’re King Kandy.”

“Yeah,” he replies sheepishly. “All those years ago, I was looking around for where my Christmas presents were hidden and I found some antique original Candyland game my parents had gotten me— it had never been played with. I opened it and the next thing I knew I was here.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Time moves differently so I’ve been here for a few decades. But my body aged the same as the world out there, so it’s still a seventeen-year old’s body.”

 

“We came through the portal in the forest,” Rani explains. “And I realized we were in some real-life version of Candyland, which was Ravi’s favorite game growing up. We all loved it.” The others murmur in agreement. “So I figured for old time’s sake, why not play it through and find King Kandy?”

Laura hums in response.

“It was fun interacting with the game characters for a few weeks,” Ryan continues. “Except when we started asking around, everyone was describing the king as this young kid who sounded a lot like Rav.  So then we decided to rush to the castle as quickly as possible, but…”

Laura sighs. “You got caught by Lord Licorice.”

“Yeah,” Sally confirms. “He heard us talking about how we were friends and family of King Kandy so he figured if he caught us and sent word got back to Rav, then he could lure him in and capture him and take over Candyland.”

“And you’ve all been in here ever since?”

They all nod at her.

 

“He keeps saying he’s waiting for Rav to die, but he keeps us fed with that magic nutrient powder,” Jim points out.

“Yeah, I don’t think he’s the brightest candy in the box,” Laura says, looking up at the window. “Has he actually _done_ anything to you guys?”

“Other than threaten to kill us repeatedly?” Jim asks. “His pawns roughed us up a little bit a few times but otherwise he’s left us alone with a lot of grumbling.”

 

Ryan crosses his arms. “Your turn. Who are you?”

“I’m Laura Hollis. A freelance investigative reporter,” Laura replies. “Your parents called me and asked me to look into your missing cases because, I mean, it’s kinda weird for four college kids to vanish from a forest without a trace. So we went looking for you and found the portal.”

  

 

“‘We?’ You didn’t come here alone?” Sally asks.

Laura shakes her head. “Lord Licorice took me as leverage because he wants the woman I came here with, Carmilla, to come here and kill King Kandy.”

“Why would she do that?” Rani asks, alarmed as she steps protectively in front of her brother.

"She wouldn't," Laura insists immediately.  She swallows hard. “He only thinks she will because she’s… a vampire.”

“Wait.” Rani’s face lights up. “Laura Hollis the reporter… Carmilla the vampire… You guys are the ones who went to Silas and saved the world and vlogged it!”

Laura laughs. “Yeah, that’s us.”

Rani looks relieved. “So Carmilla will definitely come here, at the very least to save you. And you’re sure she won’t kill Ravi?”

“I have no doubt,” Laura says firmly.

 

A door slams open past the bars to the cell and Lord Licorice strolls in. “My guards tell me Carmilla has been spotted. I guess the girl came to her senses after all.”

He waves his hand and Laura’s head spins. The next thing she knows, she’s outside of the cell and her arm is in the grips of Lord Licorice, as she tries to remain upright.

A giant gingerbread cookie marches into the room. “My Lord, she’s here.”

“Send her in,” Lord Licorice commands.

The guard nods and leaves, returning seconds later with Carmilla and half a dozen guards, all with large sharpened candy canes pointed at her.

“Laura,” Carmilla breathes out in relief. “Are you okay?”

Laura starts to speak but she still feels lightheaded and groans. “Ow, my head.”

 

Lord Licorice cackles. “She’s alive. And if you want her to remain that way, you will kill King Kandy.”

Carmilla scoffs. “You aren’t capable of killing anyone.”

Lord Licorice pauses for a moment before smirking. “True. I won’t kill her. But I can still do this.”

He holds up his hand and a thick rope of licorice appears around Laura’s neck, tightening until Laura lets out a gasp for air.  Carmilla surges forward, but the sharpened candy canes pointed at her keep her at bay.

“Kill. King. Kandy,” Lord Licorice says, his voice eerily cold and even.

The rope tightens and Laura’s face turns red as she strains to breathe. “C-arm… don-t…”

 

“ _Hello, dears!_ ”

 

 

There’s a loud _thud_ from outside the cell windows. And another. And then a loud _CRASH_.

Suddenly, the entire wall crumbles in as a large branch breaks through, the blast forcing Lord Licorice to let Laura go.

“About time, Mama Ginger Tree,” Carmilla snaps. She rushes to Laura’s side and holds her up as she removes the licorice rope, having a coughing fit trying to breathe again.

 

“ _That was our cue_ ,” a woman’s voice hisses from behind the guards.

“ _No, no, I distinctly remember Carmilla said that we were to enter when Mama Ginger Tree breaks into the building_ ,” a man’s voice replies.

“ _You idiot! What did you think that loud noise was?_ ”

“ _Ohh. I thought Lord Licorice had poor home maintenance_ _and-_ -”

“ _We. Are. Missing. Our. Cue_.”

Grandma Nutt and Mr. Mint walk in sheepishly. They’re brandishing their own sharpened candy canes. An exasperated Plumpy trails in after them.

 

“Guards! Attack!” Lord Licorice yells.

 

Grandma Nutt reaches into a bag and throws a fistful of peanuts on the floor, which the guards start slipping and stumbling on as they step on them. She swings her candy cane and takes out a few guards.  

Mr. Mint uses his as a lance and knocks a few others down.

Plumpy reaches into his basket and lobs plums at the guards, watching as they splatter across their vision.

 

Jolly walks in from the branch. “Time to go, everyone!” He hops down and points out the new hole in the wall. Ravi walks to the hole and peers out it. Satisfied, he gestures for everyone to go and jump, so the others follow suit.

Laura rubs her raw throat. “I can’t believe you rallied everyone to come here and help break us out. I mean, I _can_ , but… I’m still pretty impressed, Carmilla Karnstein.”

Carmilla chuckles, checking the welt on Laura's neck. “Well, y’know… I _can_ play nice with others when I need to.”

Laura laughs softly and gives her a peck on the cheek.

 

“It’s over, Lord Licorice,” Mr. Mint declares. All the guards have been rendered unconscious."

Lord Licorice’s anger comes off him in waves before he glares them all down and adopts a deranged grin. “Not quite.”

 

 

He taps his cane on the floor six times and points it at Laura and Carmilla. A couple seconds later, the floor gives way and they plummet through it—Lord Licorice included.

 

Carmilla tightens her grip on Laura while they stare down at the ground several floors below them, quickly coming closer as they fall.

“I didn’t think this through, did I?” Lord Licorice frets beside them.

Carmilla narrows her eyes at him. “You damn flap-mouthed, cowardly, dried-up tart string bean not even worth biting if you were the only edible thing left in all of existence!” she yells, still taking the time to make sure she takes the brunt of the fall for Laura and bracing for impact.

Which never comes.

Instead of the ground, they both land on a soft, absorbent substance.

 

Carmilla pats it and frowns. “Is this… sponge cake?”

Laura giggles. “Yeah, uhm, while you were there being adorably eloquent with your cursing out Lord Licorice, I reached into Grandma Nutt’s sack and tossed some of her magic food-making powder onto the floor. Good thing it didn’t turn into a tootsie roll or something.”

Carmilla lets out a snort and covers her mouth.

“What?” Laura asks, confused.

Carmilla clears her throat. “You said Grandma Nutt sa—”

“Oh my god, how old are you?” Laura laughs, swatting her playfully.

 

There’s a groan beside them and Laura winces as she realizes Lord Licorice didn’t land on the giant sponge cake.

“Ow.”

Carmilla reaches over and grabs him, pulling him off the ground. “Let’s see what the King wants to do with you, shall we?”

“Oh, speaking of,” Laura says, picking up the licorice rope and tying it around his wrists. “He’s the kid brother of one of the missing girls. The one that everyone thought died a decade ago.”

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow. “And he’s just been hiding in here ever since?”

“There might be more to that story,” Laura comments, tightening the rope. She frowns. “By the way, how did everyone just jump out the window like that? I don’t think they’re all capable of surviving falls like Lord Licorice over here.”

Carmilla grins. “Why don’t you go and see who else I brought.”

 

 

Laura opens the ground floor door, curious. Her eyes widen when she sees a giant chocolate mass.

“Are we all here?” he asks, concerned. “I’d hate to have been here to break your fall from up there just for one of you to suffocate in chocolate.”

“It’s not a bad way to go, though,” Jolly points out. “But we’re all here.”

Laura turns to Carmilla. “Gloppy?”

Carmilla nods, yanking Lord Licorice outside. “I ran back to Grandma Nutt and Mr. Mint. Told them to pass the word to Jolly and Mama Ginger Tree and Plumpy while I went to the Chocolate Swamp to get him so we could all come do a daring rescue.”

 

He turns to face Laura. “Ah, you must be Laura!”

Laura nods. “Nice to meet you, Gloppy. Thanks for helping us out.”

“Of course. Anything for some old and new friends,” he replies warmly.

 

Carmilla throws Lord Licorice on the ground and crosses her arms as she looks at Ravi. “Want to explain to us, O Great and Powerful King, why you’ve been here this whole time?”

He frowns. “When I first came here, I thought it was magical. But when the magic wore off, I wanted to go home. Except... as I went back, the portal closed.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “When was that?”

“A few months after I got here,” he admits sheepishly. “I guess that’d be about three weeks in the real world.”

“It might be closing soon, then,” Carmilla concludes.

Ravi nods. “We have to hurry if we want to make it back and not be stuck here for another few decades.”

“’We?’” Rani asks hopefully. “You’re coming with us?”

He nods. “Of course. I mean, this was a great escape for a kid. But as a teenager almost in his 20s who’s been here for close to half a century… not so much.”

 

“You’re leaving us?” Grandma Nutt asks. “But… you’re our king. We need you.”

“You don’t need me. You never did.” He walks over and addresses all of them. “Listen. This has been my home for… a very long time. You are all my family. And I promise the next time the portal opens, I will come back to visit for a few months.” His voice cracks from emotion. “But I can’t hide here forever. I’m not a seven-year-old kid anymore.”

“No, you’re not,” Mama Ginger Tree replies. “We’ve watched you grow up and we are so proud of who you’ve become. And if this is what you know is right for you, then we will all still be here whenever you need us.”

 

 

Gloppy nods. “That’s what family and love is.”

“Thank you all,” Ravi says through tears. “So much.”

 

Laura hears a sniffle beside her and she looks over at Carmilla.

“It’s just… I’ve got some holiday spirit in my eyes,” Carmilla mumbles.

Laura smiles and doesn’t say anything, simply wrapping an arm around Carmilla and pulling her in.

 

* * *

 

“There's something that's still bothering me,” Carmilla says, handing Laura her mug of hot chocolate before settling in with her own beside Laura on their rented room's couch. Laura lowers the volume on the television and looks at her inquisitively. “The portal to that place opens for three weeks once every ten years our time. But the parents went to that spot in the forest a couple days before we did and they didn’t see anything. And the portal closed a few hours we stepped through. It should’ve been open when they went there. Why didn’t they see it?”

“Ah,” Laura says, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. “Perry showed a pic of the board game to the occult department in the company. Apparently there was an inscription on the back that was actually a spell meant to give people of all ages the ability to escape their problems for a few weeks. Like, for example, Silas students looking to get away from their finals.” She fiddles with the handle. “Except seven-year old Ravi didn’t read the fine print, so he got stuck on the other side. And the only people who can see the portal are people looking for an escape.”

Carmilla hums in response. “So, the fact that we could both see it…”

 

Laura pauses guiltily. “Look… You weren’t entirely wrong when you said that me taking this job from the parents’ was a bit of an attempt at an escape from our first holidays with you being a vampire again."  Laura shifts so she can meet Carmilla’s eyes.  "Not that I’m avoiding the problem,” she clarifies quickly. “It’s just… there’s nothing we can do about the situation right now, and if our lives aren’t going to be exactly normal like they were for the past five years, then why not make it as crazy of an adventure together as possible?”

Carmilla chuckles. “Ah... I’m just gonna flat-out admit that I wanted to avoid it. But I like your take on it better.”

Laura laughs at that and Carmilla smiles as she plays with the rim of her mug.

“Well, I spoke to LaF about the powder. And even though it doesn’t work here, they did say it gave them an idea to try to develop some kind of supplement that maybe you can add to food that’ll give you the same nutrients that drinking blood gives you. That way you’re not limited to Hemo Soy for sustenance anymore.”

 

Carmilla stares at Laura and Laura frowns.

“What?”

 

 

Carmilla shakes her head and swallows hard. “I love you,” she says softly but firmly, her voice thick with emotion.

“I love you, too,” Laura says back with a small grin. “And like Mama Ginger Tree said… Love means l’m here whenever you need me.”

Carmilla leans forward and captures Laura’s lips in a nice, slow kiss, before pulling back and smiling warmly at her. She lifts her mug of hot chocolate. “To our next crazy adventure together.”

Laura grins and raises hers, tapping it against Carmilla’s. “To more holidays spent at each other’s side.”

 

They both drink from their cups before setting them down on the coffee table.

Laura snuggles into Carmilla’s side and watches on in amusement as Carmilla takes the remote control grumpily channel surfs through dozens of holiday movies, making snide comments as she goes.

“Oh, Elf yourself,” Carmilla snaps at the television as she skips past Laura’s favorite holiday movie, but she doesn’t stop her.

If all crazy holiday adventures end like this, then she wouldn’t mind having a lifetime’s worth and more with Carmilla at her side.

**Author's Note:**

> ((I have never played Candyland before so I had like four tabs open at work for two weeks with references lmao))  
> Happy holidays, creampuffs <3 Feel free to chat in the comments below or swing by on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com) and say hi! :D Stay awesome!!


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